LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 229, 25 August 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We learn that Mr Langkjer is about to erect an observatory at Terrace End. The four concrete pillars which will support the instruments are to be built by J. 0. Hanlon. Mr Langkjer's brother-in-law, Mr Schillerup, is an astronomer at Copenhagen, and the observatory there with those at Greenwich andFiniaterrewiiru&cannmimcateci witfijana the results of observations at the local observatory will be forwarded The quality of New Zealand woollen goods is evidently appreciated out of New Zealand. The Kaiapoi Woollen Company have lately opened up a large trade m Victoria and New South Wales, and now, by a press telegram we learn that they are executing an order for Glasgow. The Banks are taking Blenheim by storm. The Colonial Bank opens up a branch there on 27th instant, and the Bank of New South Wales one' on lst : September ; these are m addition to the Bank of New Zealand and the National Bank. A few months after the last bank-opening occurred there were some people who wished they had stopped away. It transpired the other evening that the rateable value of the Waipawa Road Board is about £32,706, and of this amount about £17,000 worth belongs to a Waipawa tradesman. The Wairarapa Star : — We are not astonished to learn that scarlet fever has made its appearance m Maßterton. Our surprise is that m thienaturally salubrious but artificially perfumed abode of human bliss, fevers of every kind and colour do not take up their permanent residence and become old indentities. Mr Gladstone oonsiders yew the most difficult tree to fell ; next come beech and ash. Oak, though very hard, fells well, but the easiest of all is Spanish chesnut. The Duke of Manchester offered to wager him a new hat that he (Mr Gladstone) could not fell an acre on the Kairanga Block for 40s and clear his tucker, The " Grand Old Man" declined ; he said he dreaded tackling a rata. If it was all kahikatea he wouldn't mind trying. In connection with higher -> education the following advertisement m a Wellington paper speaks for itself :—Resident Governess. Wanted, alady (Church of England), to teach three little girls, ages § t( > 10 i One holding University Honour Certificate preferred. Subjects — English (thorough), Latin, French, Drawing, Music. Apply, stating age and salarly required, &c, &c. ■. The Woodville farmers are acting injuriously to their own interests ( writes an exchange) m not guaranteeing the necessary supply of milk to the new dairy factory. The general experience of dairy factories throughout the colony has been that at 4d per gallon (the price offered to the Woodville settlers) the farmer can make £10 per annum out of each cow. Possibly the Woodville wiseacres think they can earn more than this by making butter. If they can they are more fortunate than settlers m other parts of the colony. In consequence of the short-sighted policy of the cowkeepers the Woodville factory will not start this season. Among the Wellington passengers booked by the New Zealand Shipping Company's chartered s.s. Doric, to leave London on the 28th instant, are the Hon. John Martin and family. At the poultry market. — Customer : " I should like to look at a fat goose." Shopboy : " If you'll wait a minute, missus will be here directly." At, the last meeting of the Wellington Waste Lands Board held, Mr Bunny asked the board to place on record its regret at the loss it had sustained by the death of its chairman, the late Mr J. G. Holdsworth, and to forward a letter of confidence to Mrs Holdsworth, expressing tho sympathy of the board m her recent bereavement. The motion was unanimously agreed to.

The Stout Ministry, next to the " Clean Shirt Ministry," has had the shortest life of any New Zealand Ministry. An exchange understands that some men have been sent up by the Government, m charge of a Mr Field, to open a road into the Otamakapua Block. The 1 road about to be made is a continuation of the Kitnbolton road. The reason why the Government are doing this is, we believe, to gut an estimate of what the roads will cost per chain to open this block. Some of the land m the Otamakapua Block is considered very superior. We (Waipawa Mail) mentioned recently the meeting of two trains on the Ngaruroro Bridge, and the narrow escape from a smash-up. We hear that the incideot has since been repeated on another part of the line, and again the adroitness of the drivers saved the lives of the passengers, one of whom is said to have been the manager, who was travelling m a " special." Somebody is blundering sadly, and we are quite expecting to have to report a big catastrophe one of these days. The following paragraph appears m a recent Sydney Morning Herald : — " ' I cautioned the prisoner m the usual way,' said a police constable m giving eying evidence at the Quarter Sessions recently. His Honor Judge Forbes, referring to the expression, said that to caution prisoners was the greatest mistake policemen made. They had no right whatever to caution prisoners;, that was for the magistrates to do, and there was a prescribed form of words m which they were to do it. The constable's duty was when arresting a person to shut his own mouth, but to keep bis ears open." The following is said to be a good remedy for asthma : — Dip pieces of blotting paper m a solution of saltpetre (about six inches by four m size), dry them, and keep ready for use. In an attack of asthma, put one of these on an old tea-tray and set it on fire, when it will smoulder and burn slowly. Place it near the bed, and the fumes give quick and complete relief to the patient. The death, near Liverpool, England, of Dr. Richard Summer, aged 86 years, recalls this story : — On a stormy night m December, 1883, a pilot boat containing 22 persons struck on a bank within sight of those on shore. Even the hardy fishermen feared to put out until Mr Summer, who was a man of splendid physique, 6ft. 6in, m height, and of great strength, slung a bottle of rum round his neck, stripped off! his clothes, tied a slender line round his body and plunged m the seething waves. He reached the vessel, poured some rum down the throat of each half-dead man, and so encouraged them that when the boat arrived they were saved. He received the Royal Humane Society's gold medal. Messrs Sander and Sons have received from the Amsterdam Exhibition commissioners a diploma which certifies to the excellency of their exhibit of eucalypti extract. The certificate is all the more welcome to Mr Sander, and the integrity of the testimony is additionally enhanced, as he was not aware until he received this notice that he was an exhibitor at the Amsterdam Exhibition, the exhibit having been removed to Amsterdam from the Paris Exhibition at its conclusion, by Mr G. C. Levy, who had charge of the Victorian exhibits, on his own responsibility. Large numbers of swaggers have been passing through the Woodville district of late, evidently on the look-out for work. A rumour has gained currency within the last few day.*, says the Post, that Chief Justice Prendergast, who is now on a visit to England, will not return to the colony. It is known that the Chief Justice is at present m extremely bad health, but nothing confirmatory of the report has been heard of m official circles.. -- ~